Hemerocallis 'Moses' Fire'

Hemerocallis 'Moses' Fire': Double Red Ruffles Worth a Double Take

Double, ruffled cherry-red flowers with a gold edge and a green throat. This daylily looks like it's wearing a ballgown made of candy apples. TOO MUCH? NEVER HEARD OF IT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Hemerocallis 'Moses' Fire'
• Common Name: Daylily
• Height: 55–60 cm (22–24 in) in flower
• Spread: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Flowers: Double, ruffled, cherry red with a gold edge and green throat, about 15 cm (6 in) across
• Bloom Time: Midsummer, with rebloom later in the season (July to August)
• Foliage: Arching, grass-like green leaves; dies back in winter
• Features: Reblooming, double flowers

Where to Plant: Plant it where you want people to stop and look: near a front step, along a path, or as a red focal point in the middle of a sunny border. A group of three makes a strong statement, it holds its own in a large container, and it handles clay soil.

Companion Plants: Red daylilies glow above Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, a low groundcover with blue flowers from August to October. Veronica Magic Show® 'White Wands' adds white spikes from June to July, with rebloom into September. Plant Eupatorium 'Atropurpureum' behind for pink flower heads from August to October on 150 to 210 cm stems. This mix suits full sun or part sun.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun in average, well-drained soil. Red daylilies can fade in hot afternoon sun, so a spot with a little late-day shade helps the colour hold. Water through the first season, then during long dry spells. Double flowers hang on a little longer as they fade. Pick them off to keep the plant clean, and cut finished stems to the base. Tidy foliage in late fall or early spring. Divide every four or five years in spring or early fall. Daylilies are toxic to cats.

History: 'Moses' Fire' is a tetraploid credited to hybridizer Joiner and registered in 1998. It received an Honorable Mention, an Award of Merit and the Ida Munson Award, which the American Daylily Society gives to the best double daylily.

Final Thoughts: It reblooms later in the season, so the red carpet gets rolled out twice. Plant it front and centre. MORE IS MORE.